Gerard Sutton and Ashley Klein will referee the 2018 Holden State of Origin I at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday, June 6.

Nick Beashel and Brett Suttor will be touch judges for the match, while Steve Chiddy (Senior Review Official) and Ben Galea (Review Official) will operate the NRL Bunker.

Sutton has officiated in the past 10 State of Origin matches, while Klein refereed in the 2013 series.

The selections were made by the referees appointments committee, which includes Senior Manager Officiating Bernard Sutton, Officiating Head Coach Michael Maguire and Assistant Referees Coaches Russell Smith and Steve Carrall.

"We took into account form, consistency and experience when nominating the officiating group," Bernard Sutton said.

"Both the referees have been in excellent form over the opening rounds of the season and will take that form into the opening Origin game."

NRL Head of Football Brian Canavan said Sutton and Klein deserved to referee the opening Origin encounter.

"Gerard has refereed in three NRL Grand Finals, last year's World Cup Final, as well as every Origin match since Game Three of 2014," Canavan said.

"Ashley has refereed three Super League Grand Finals, a Challenge Cup Final as well as a World Cup final.

"They are the form referees and clearly have big-game experience. I congratulate all the officials on their appointments."

The match officials for the first Holden State of Origin match, on June 6, are:

THE NRL will continue its penalty blitz in State of Origin One in a move that has the potential to ruin the game as a spectacle.

Most critics assumed the penalty crackdown that has marred many games in the first third of the season would be put aside in Origin and the players would be allowed to play football without constant stoppages.

But referees boss Bernard Sutton has instructed the men in charge for the game next Wednesday night - Gerard Sutton and Ashley Klein - to continue to penalise players for the smallest infractions of the rules.

“The refs were hoping to get a bit of leeway and keep the whistles in their pocket and let the players show their skills because Origin is such a huge rating game and is watched by so many people,” a source told WWOS after the referees held a meeting yesterday.

“Bernard Sutton is determined to keep up the big penalty counts and sin bins of necessary - he believes it is the way to go and has the backing of the NRL.

“It’s just a pity because there is a real chance that it will spoil the game for the fans and frustrate the players.

“It will be all stop-start and blokes taking shots at goal… that’s not what rugby league should be about.”